Slippery pathways; plus BBC’s racism ‘double standards’

It is disturbing to read that some hospitals may be using the ‘Liverpool pathway’, developed to ease the dying process in those suffering from severe pain, as an economy measure – “‘letting patients die to save money”‘ as the Telegraph described yesterday. Such patients may be tortured by thirst, but cannot ask for fluids because they are heavily sedated. It is little wonder that, as they reveal, families are wary of such approaches, and that in many cases staff do not include them in the decision. When you are faced with a ward full of patients all needing attention, it must be tempting to place those you believe will not recover under sedation. Tending a patient in their last days and hours may not be a ‘cure’, but it is care, done out of respect for their humanity and ours.

Ironically, in view of the ‘football racism’ trial of John Terry, Michael Buerk has claimed: “The human race is facing catastrophe due to rising birth rates but ‘population deniers’ refuse to let the issue be discussed”. He especially blames Africa and Asia, but the UN admits that the world’s population increase is slowing. Most countries are experiencing lower birth rates; developed countries are not even reaching ‘replacement’ level. According to Buerk’s Law this should be making us more prosperous – but the only economies that are prospering are those with expanding markets – aka people. The rest of us are saddling the children we will not have with enormous debts we cannot repay. Mr Buerk famously alerted the world to the Ethiopian famine. It seems cruelly ironic to blame Africa, suffering from political turmoil and war, for a dearth of world resources. Indeed, much of the turmoil and war is the result of attempts to deprive Africa of its resources. He derides well-meaning Guardian readers for fears about racism and how many plastic bags they use at the supermarket; but how many Africans are contributing to the problem of over-consumption? What we would throw away they would eat; their rubbish heaps are seen as treasure troves to the gleaners who live on them. If Africa’s population is rising, it is only because some Africans are living longer. To see this as a problem does indeed suggest racism. But Michael Buerk is not an ignorant footballer, so he cannot be guilty of racism, can he?